1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector assembly for mounting on a shielded cable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In certain applications, such as in the aerospace industry, there are stringent requirements on the robustness, reliability, and shielding effectiveness of cable connectors. A typical cable outlet of a connector for demanding applications in the aerospace industry is shown in FIG. 1. The outlet of FIG. 1 comprises a body 4' extending from a cable receiving end 6' to a mating end 8', the body comprising an outer shell 10' and a coupling nut 12' at the mating end 8' for secure mechanical coupling to the body of the connector (not shown). A shielded cable 3' comprising a plurality of conductors 5' are surrounded by a shielding braid 7' which is enclosed by an insulating jacket 9'. Electrical terminals 14' of the connector are crimpable to ends of the conducting wires 5'. A collar 16' is mountable over a cable receiving end portion of the outer shell 10' for clamping the shielding braid 7' thereto. Assembly of the cable outlet of FIG. 1 is effected by first preparing the end of the cable 3', and passing the conducting wires 5' into the cavity of the body 4'. The terminals 14' can then be crimped to conducting strands of the conducting wires 5', the terminals subsequently being inserted into cavities of an insulative housing of the connector (not shown). The cable outlet body can then be securely attached to the connector by means of the coupling nut 12'. The subsequent step is to mount the shielding braids 7' over the cable receiving end 6' of the outlet body. The collar 16' is then slipped over the shielding braid and cable receiving end of the body, and securely attached thereto by a threaded portion 18' engaging the body for securely clamping the shielding braid thereto. The latter provides both mechanical strain relief means for the cable, and an effective shielding continuity between the cable shielding and the connector.
Although this known connector is robust and reliable, it is relatively expensive to produce, particularly because of the assembly costs. A major disadvantage in the assembly arises from the need to mount the outer shell 10' over the cable 3' prior to connection of the terminals 14' to the conducting wires 5'. This assembly procedure requires hand assembly of the terminals to the conducting wires 5'. Another problem may arise from stretching the shielding braid over the end of the connector outer shell, as air spaces in the braid enlarge, and are relatively exposed to the environment, thereby reducing shielding effectiveness and reliability.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a robust, reliable and effective shielded connector that is nevertheless cost-effective to produce, and in particular cost-effective to assemble.